Recently Viewed
Life Behind the Iron Curtain
5.0
14 Ratings
Warszawa
Discover Warsaw’s communist past on a 2.5-hour walking tour. Uncover absurdities, survival stories, and hidden gems from behind the Iron Curtain.
Duration:
2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Plac Konstytucji - Let’s meet at Constitution Square, where we’ll start by exploring the square that was supposed to be the new city center of the Polish People’s Republic.
- Marszałkowska - From the Square, we’ll go along the wide Marszałkowska Street, which was used for parades and marches. On the way, we’ll see one of the most iconic places of the Polish People’s Republic.
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development - The building of the Ministry of Agriculture is a perfect example of socialist realism. We’ll find out what characterizes this style and why the buildings were built this way.
- Mysia 3 - On Mysia Street we’ll see the Free Speech Memorial and talk about censorship and espionage.
- Central Department Store Cedet - One of the most challenging aspects of life during the times of the Polish People’s Republic was buying everyday things. Let’s find out why in front of the former Central Department Store.
- Dworzec Centralny w Warszawie - Let’s take a look at the Central Railway Station and Downtown Railway Station and talk about local, regional, and international travel during the times of the Polish People’s Republic.
- Palace of Culture and Science - We’ll finish in front on the Palace of Culture and Science where we’ll tell you everything you need to know about this symbolic, yet very controversial, building.
What's Included
- Full info pack about Warsaw prior to your tour (FAQ, useful links, and more!)
- Visual aids
- Recommendations about more places to visit, where to eat, drink, etc.
What's Not Included
- Entry fee to the viewing terrace in the Palace of Culture and Science (25 PLN)
Additional Information
Of all the things you think you know about communism, there’s one thing you can never wrap your mind around: its absurdity.
On the outside it was a Cold War and the hammer and sickle, but to the average citizen it was just one ridiculous thing after another that made life difficult.
Learn how the Poles managed to survive nearly 40 years of communist oppression with ingenuity, smarts, and a tractor full of humor.
Join this walking tour to hear about: the most controversial building in the entire city (and for more than one reason!), the smallest icon of communism that’s so cute you’ll want one of your own, how people were able to buy things at completely empty stores, why “what can I get you?” was one of the biggest jokes at the time, how the state made sure Poles didn’t travel too far, socialist realism and why you’ll probably think it looks nice, but Poles won’t agree
Don’t just visit Warsaw, discover it!
Tour duration: approx. 2,5h
Distance: approx. 3 km
- Not recommended for travelers who have problems with walking long distances
Location
Constitution Square
plac Konstytucji
We meet on the Constitution Square, in front of Green Caffe Nero . Look for a guide with a green and white umbrella
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(14 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Northstar365070
Jul 30, 2024
Book this tour - An incredibly insightful tour. I learned so much and will now be touring Warsaw with a different lense. Oliwia was a fantastic guide, and her personal family connections to the past were helpful to personalize and further understand how communism affected the average Polish citizen. I booked this tour on a whim, and I’m so glad I did. Don’t hesitate to do the same!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Irishtodd
Jul 24, 2024
Impressive Tour Guide - Oliwia - Knowledgeable, Articulate & Paints a Clear Picture with Her Descriptions! - Oliwia was such a superb tour guide, clearly very knowledgeable and very articulate in painting a picture of the system and how life was then for Warsaw and Polish citizens. It is obviously a subject she has studied well and she carries a notebook with pictures that were useful in us envisioning why things were as they were. Another really great thing about this company was that immediately after I booked the tour I received a WhatsApp message from Oliwia’s business partner Agnieszka with info about the tour and useful links while in Warsaw, then again the morning of the tour with a link to map our starting point - really impressive organization and connection with their clientele; serious value added. I will be doing more tours with Oliwia and Agnieska when I return with my wife to see Warsaw - truly a first class experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
34lovetravel34
Jul 22, 2024
Exciting - Agnieska speaks French very well and is exciting. We learned a lot when visiting places typical of communism and she explained a lot to us. Time passed very quickly. I recommend it is great visit and in addition a beautiful meeting. Thank you very much to Agnieska.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eileen_a
Jul 22, 2024
Excellent informative tour - Oliwia Is outgoing and made the tour fun and interesting. She is very knowledgeable about the topic, and even though she was very young when her family left Warsaw during communism, she had a wealth of information from her parents and grandparents. She gave insight into how life under communism is still impacting those who lived through it, and how the change to life after the fall of the USSR has progressed.
Review provided by Viator
Huliocastro
Jul 17, 2024
Engaging, interesting, educative! - Whether you like story or not this tour is a must if you are visiting Warsaw. It’s incredible how communism affected so many layers and dimensions of the polish society, with elements that remain even today. All this was explained with such passion and attention to detail by Agnieszka. She showed and shared so many stories and facts about the communist period, even with some family and personal experiences that made it super authentic and personal. From times it feels like traveling for an instant to that period of time and you really empathize with all the difficulties and hard times that the polish society had to face… If you are not already convinced I don’t know what else would 😁. Can’t stop recommending it, thanks a lot Agnieszka and Oliwia for the amazing work!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
D5127ljjillc
Jun 25, 2024
Behind the iron curtain in the best way - Aga is the best! You will come away educated, amused, and grateful to have spent time with this bright and knowledgeable young lady. She has a local’s behind the scenes insights and shares. She will readily customize her tour to your needs.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
87sara
May 13, 2024
Amazing experience!! - We've just finished the tour with Agnieszka and it's the first time I write a review immediately after finishing the tour...this is how good it was!!
If you are looking for a knowledgeable, funny, understanding and professional tour guide do not look any further and book a tour with Warsaw UnDiscovered!
The "behind the iron curtain" tour was fantastic, we've got so much information and it really helped us understand polish society better.
Agnieszka, our your guide, was fabulous!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
